Collapsible top for motor vehicles



De c. 23,1941. A KELLE v I 2,267,471

COLLAPSIBLE TOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed-June 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ma I|l A &

. INVENTOR ms. 23, 1941. A. KELLER 2,267,471

COLLAPSIBLE TOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Ju n e 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet2 0 YO 8 I M a in I INVENTOR 1711 215 fi ATTORNEYS Patented" Dec. 23,194i- TOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES August Keller, Dearborn, Mich, assignor toMotor State Products Company, Ypsilanti, Micln, a corporation ofMichigan Application June 17, 1940, Serial no. 340,901

2 Claims. (Cl. 296-111) Thepresent invention relates to a collapsibletop adapted for use in motor vehicle body constructions of theconvertible type.

The objects of the present invention are:

First to provide a collapsible top of a simplifled construction which isrigid and strong when in the raised position and which is easily foldedwhen it is desired to collapse the top.

Second, to provide a collapsible top which has a window constructionproviding visibility through the rear quarter portion of the top and inwhich the window is arranged to move downwardly into the body of thevehicle when the top is moved.

to its folded position.

Third, to provide a collapsible top which is.

positive in operation, simplified in its construction and which isadapted for economical production on a commercial scale.

- Fourth, to provide a top of the'collapsible type which is adapted foruse with various types of mechanisms utilized conventionally to; raiseand lower thescollapsible top, thereby providing a so-callediautomatictop. 7

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description and appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein likereference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views,and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a top embodying the present invention withparts broken away and partially in section showing the structuralmembers of the top in their respective positions when the top is raised.The view also shows a fragmentary elevation with parts broken away ofent invention resides comprises a header bar It.

a main bow 16 carried by the body pillar ll, and a rear bow I5. Theheader [3, the main bow i6 and the rear bow ii are operatively connectedthrough a system of links and levers which provides for movement of theinterconnected parts so as to permit the raising and lowering of the topby folding and unfolding of the top frame members. The connectionsinclude an outriggerlever ll which is connected at one end to the headeri3 and at its opposite end is pivotally connected with a balancing leveriii. The balancing lever i8 is pivotally con-,

nected at the pivot point I! on the pillar ll. One end of the balancinglever I8 is pivotally connected with the adjacent end of the outriggerlever II and the other end is pivotally connected with the prop lever 21which is pivotally connected to the body at the bracket Zia. The

the vehicle body to which the top is attached; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a portion of a vehicle body with partsbroken away and showing the top structure of Fig. 1 in its folded orcollapsed position.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and notof limitation.

A top embodying the present invention is adapted to be attached to avehicle body ill which is provided with a windshield l l and awindshield pillar ii. The top structure in which the .presinasmuch asany desired type of system may be main bow i6 is connected with theoutrigger lever IT by means of a link 20 which is pivotally connected atone end to an intermediate portion of the outrigger lever ll and at itsother end to the main bow l6.

A bracket 22 is secured to the car body and the ends of the rear bow iiare each pivotally connected to the bracket ,22 secured to the car body.The pillar i4 is secured to an arm 23 which is also pivotally mounted onthe bracket 22.

The top structure of the present invention may be raised and lowered bythe application of force to the prop lever 2i at a point intermediatethe point of pivotal connection to the bracket Ma and point of pivotalconnection with the balancing lever l8. In a conventional type ofmechthis type an extensible and retractable piston rod 24 is connectedwith a piston (not shown) which is movable in a power actuated cylinder25. Various forces have been applied to the movement of the piston inthe cylinder 25, such for example as a hydraulic fluid under pressure, avacuum cylinder, or the like. Since the top of the present invention maybe used with any desired type of actuating member, it is not thoughtnecessary to go into the details of such actuating systems used whichwill apply power to the prop lever 2l for raising and lowering-the top.Y

-' Other structural features of the top include the auxiliary bow 26which is pivotally connected to the rear bow I5 and a window 21 formedof any desired transparent material. such as glass, transparent plastic,or the like, which is secured to the'pillar I4 and which is movable as aunit therewith. A fabric cover 28 is secured to the header bar l3 and isretained by any desired conventional means in position on the main bowll, auxiliary bow", and rear bow II. The end of the fabric covering 28of the top is secured to the body deck 29. a

When the top is in the raised position as shown in Fig. 1, the headerbar I3 is secured by any desired type of releasable locking means to theheader member 80 which extends transversely of the vehicle body on topof the windshield ll. When in this position the various structural partsof the top occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, andsince the prop lever2| is maintained in the position there shown by force which is appliedthrough the piston rod 24, it will be seen that folding of the topframework is rendered impossible. When, however, it is desired to lowerthe top, the releasable connection between the header bar l3 and theheader 3!! is released, power is applied to cause the retraction of therod 24 into the cylinder 25, and the prop lever 2| is caused to pivot ina clockwise direction about the pivotal connection with'the bracket 2la.This actuates the balancing lever 18 which pivots about the pivotpointment of the header bar l3 previously described permits the rear bowI5 and the attached auxiliary bow 26 to drop to their respective foldedpositions. The pivotal movement of the pillar It also moves the window21 so that when completely folded the parts occupy the-respectivepositions shown in Fig. 2 and the top is nested in the top compartmentconventionally provided in the motor vehicle body It.

In the foregoing description of the present invention it is to beunderstood that the top structure has been described as applied to oneside of the motor vehicle body. It is to be understood that the linksand levers described in connection with the top structure are providedon each side of the vehicle body so that there is provided in thecomplete top structure two outrigger levers l1, two balancing levers 18,two pillars it, two connecting links 20, two prop levers 2| and twopivotal arms 23. 'It will also be understood that the brackets 22 and2la which are secured to the vehicle body are secured one each on eachside of the vehicle body so as to provide for the desired pivotalconnection of the members on the opposite side of the said body.

From the foregoing description it will be ap members which, whenactuated. eflect a so-called automatic raising and lowering of the topstructure. It will also be seen that the top structure here provided issuch that there is no impairment of vision through the window 21 bylinks, levers, or other members of the top frame structure.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible top for a 'motor vehicle body, a body pillarpivotally connected to the vehicle body, a balancing lever pivotallyconnected intermediate its length to the body pillar, an outrigger leverpivotally connected to the balancing lever, \a window frame membercarried by the body pillar, the balancing lever being proportioned tosubstantially lie adjacent the body pillar when the top is in theelevated position to render the window substantially unobstructed, anangularly related rearwardly extending arm carried by the balancinglever, a prop lever pivotally connected to said angularly related arm ofthe balancing lever, pivotal connecting means between the prop lever andthe vehicle body at a point spaced rearwardly and substantially belowthe point of connection of the pillar to the body, a bracket membercarried by the body member substantially rearwardly of said pivotalconnections to the, vehicle body, and motion transmitting means betweenthe prop lever and said last named bracket.

2. A collapsible top for a motor vehicle body comprising a body pillarhaving a main bow member pivotally connected to the vehicle body, abalancing lever pivotally connected intermediate its length to the bodypillar, anvoutrigger lever pivotally connected to thebalancing lever, aheader bar carried by the outrigger lever, a link pivotallyinterconnecting the main bow and the outrigger lever intermediate itslength, a window frame member carried by the body pillar, the balancinglever being proportioned to substantially lie adjacent the body pillarwhen the top is in the elevated position to render the windowsubstantially unobstructed, an angularly inclined rearwardly extendingarm carried by the balancing lever, a prop lever pivotally connected tosaid angularly inclined arm of the balancing lever, pivotal connectingmeans between the prop lever and the vehicle body at a point spacedrearwardly and substantially below the point of con-'- nection of thepillar to the body, a bracket member carried by the body membersubstantially rearwardly of said pivotal connections to the vehiclebody, motion transmitting means between the prop lever and said lastnamed bracket, and a rear bow member pivotally connected to the bodycoincidental with the body pillar and having an angularly relatedportion whereby the rear bow member extends rearwardly relative parentthat the top construction of the present to the window frame to leavethe window subinvention is greatly simplified from tops previouslysuggested for use with power actuatedstantially unobstructed.

AUGUST KELLER.

